Submitted: 05-22-2001 by bnystrom 
I had heard from a local paddler that the Isle au Haut was a nice boat, but I was skeptical due to Lincoln's somewhat stodgy reputation. While working at a boat demo recently, I had the chance to jump into one and it was a real revelation. This is a NICE boat! It's stable, yet feels good on edge. It tracks well, but carves leaned turns nicely. It's roomy, comfortable and the thigh braces are well placed. It's also lighter than most comparably priced boats, due to its glass/Kevlar layup.After bouncing around in it in 1-3' chop and 15-20 knot winds, I was left with the impression that this is a very capable sea kayak. Since my time in the boat was limited, I cannot speak to it's durability but I haven't heard of any problems with Lincoln boats. If I were in the market for a new boat, I would definitely give the Isle au Haut serious consideration. I'd say that it compares very favorably with the CD Gulfstream, which is a similar design. The only reason I'm only rating it an 8 is that I haven't spent enough time in it to give it a thorough test. BTW, I also paddled the Eggimoggin briefly and it felt quite similar, but it has much higher volume. For reference, I paddle a Nordkapp HM and also own a Walden Passage and a CD Slipstream (my girlfriend's boat). I've paddled at least 30 other models of sea kayak, mainly glass and wood designs. |